African Nations Championship

Publication date: 20 Dec 2022

About the TotalEnergies African Nations

The African Nations Championship is a football competition between national teams from African countries that is run by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Only national teams made up of players from local leagues are eligible for the tournament as opposed to the Africa Cup of Nations where legionnaires can play.

CAF official website

2025/26 African Nations Championship

The African Nations Championship (CHAN) is a major event for fans of African football. This tournament brings together the best national teams of the continent, consisting exclusively of players playing in local leagues. In 2026, the tournament promises to be no less exciting than in previous years.

CHAN 2026 will be held from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026. This is a great opportunity for fans to enjoy quality football during the winter months.

For the first time, the African Nations Championship will be held in three countries: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. These countries will be the hosts of the tournament, and together they will create a unique atmosphere for participants and spectators.

Participants

The tournament will feature 19 teams, of which three hosts (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania) are automatically qualified. The remaining 16 places will be occupied by teams that have passed through the qualifiers. This promises to create an interesting and competitive struggle among the teams.

Favorites

The following teams traditionally stand out among the tournament favorites:

  • Morocco — winners of the last tournaments and always a strong team.
  • DR Congo — a team with a rich history of success at the continental level.
  • Senegal — the current CHAN champions, who will try to defend their title.

History of the African Nations Championship

The idea for such a football competition originated in 2007. Two years later, the first African Cup of Nations was held in Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), which was won by the Congo team. Eight teams competed in the first edition, and the number of teams has doubled since the following championships. The tournament takes place biennially in between the Africa Cup of Nations.

In 2016, CAF signed a sponsorship contract with a French oil company.

Over the history of this championship, teams from Morocco and Congo have won the title twice.

Results of the previous African Nations Championships

The year Venue Results
2023 Ivory Coast Ivory Coast (3rd title)
2021 Cameroon
Senegal (1st title)
2019 Egypt
Algeria (2nd title)

2027 African Nations Championship

There is no information yet about the next African Nations Championship.

Keep an eye on the dates of football championships and other events in our Sporting Events Calendar.

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